Duck Yeah!

Hike Duck Pass for a High Sierra Adventure in Mammoth Lakes

07.22.2026
Greater California
Overnight Escapes

Duck Pass is everything you want in a High Sierra day hike. The 11-mile round trip from Mammoth Lakes Basin passes a string of sparkling alpine lakes before climbing to nearly 11,000-foot Duck Pass, where panoramic views of jagged peaks and sapphire waters reward the effort.

Follow the trail up, up and further up, climbing a granite staircase to the pass, where you'll look down on a turquoise necklace of lakes stretching through the rugged Sierra landscape. Lucky duck. 

Access the Duck Pass Trail from the back of Coldwater Campground at the end of Lake Mary Road. Allow five to eight hours for the round-trip, and start early, especially on warm summer days. Dog-friendly! 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Chasing Dark Skies: Southern Oregon

    Hot springs, hiking, lodging, antelope, and one of the world’s best places for looking up at night.

    View
  2. Woman with her arms outstretched to the rolling hills scenery while on a rock outcrop at Barnabe Peak in Samuel P Taylor Sate Park in Marin

    Barnabe Bonanza

    Sure, there are higher mountains in Marin (Mount Tam) and easier ascents (Mount Burdell), but is there a more expansive North Bay view? Barnabe Peak in Samuel P. Taylor State Park offers a glorious panorama including Mount Tam, Mount Diablo, and Mount St. Helena.

    View

  3. Tamtastic Sunset

    Sure, the East Peak of Mount Tam is absolutely spectacular at sunset, but some magic-hour enthusiasts head to a nearby spot, Trojan Point, for a little more personal space in their panoramic viewings.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Lagoon Swoon

    We all love an underdog story, especially in the shadow of the greats. Enter a truly SoCal coastal version: Malibu Lagoon State Beach. Though situated next to Surfrider Beach, a fa

    View
  2. Woman hiking the San Onofre Bluffs Loop Trail to San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County

    Bluffing Good!

    Lovely coastline, beautiful beaches, unique geological history, and picturesque sandstone cliffs with limited foot traffic in San Diego County? Head to San Onofre State Beach and the 5-mile San Onofre Bluffs Loop Trail.

    View

  3. Tahoe's Trio of Lake Vistas

    They say good things come in threes, and it’s true when you embark on this 8-mile (round-trip) hike in Tahoe’s Desolation Wilderness. It gives you three excellent lake vistas: Eagl

    View